THE families involved in the prosecution of self-confessed paedophile Maurice Van Ryn feel like they have been treated as “second-class citizens” because they live and work in the Bega Valley.
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In March, the families spoke out about how moving the Van Ryn court case from Bega to the District Court in Sydney left them financially disadvantaged due to travel and accommodation costs.
Despite the former NSW Attorney General Brad Hazzard stating financial assistance is available, a parent from one of the families said a number of the families have still not received that support.
Van Ryn is also due to face Bega Local Court on Tuesday, June 23, regarding other matters.
“Having succeeded in having Van Ryn’s bail revoked and seeing him incarcerated in Silverwater Jail on remand, we did not expect that he would personally appear in the Local Court on Tuesday,” the parent, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said.
“However, we did have an expectation that he would appear by video link to answer the new charges.
“Disappointingly we learn this will not occur.
“Bega Court House is one of the few court houses in NSW that is not equipped with this technology, which is regarded as commonplace in legal tribunals throughout NSW and Australia.”
The spokesperson for the families said in December last year Stuart Ayres, the then Police Minister, visited the region and gave guarantees that he’d spoken to the police dealing with the case and been reassured that they were fully resourced.
“We fully support our local, hardworking police force, however our experience is that they are very stretched and under-resourced,” the parent said.
“As families that are experiencing a very broken and under-resourced system we call on the Attorney General, Police Minister and our local Member of Parliament to cease regarding the people of the Far South Coast as second-class and give us the services that those in the city expect and receive.”
